Flip-up sunglass construction



y 1968 A. G. MCNEILL 3,383,707

FLIP-UP SUNGLAS S CONSTRUCT ION Filed May 5, 1966 INVENTORY ALBERT s. McNElLL ATTORNEY.

United States Patent 3,383,707 FLIP-UP SUNGLASS CONSTRUCTION Albert G. McNeill, Maple Glen, Pa., assignor to Bachmann Bros., Inc., Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed May 3, 1966, Ser. No. 547,321 6 Claims. (Cl. 2-12) This invention relates generally to sunglasses, and is especially concerned with fli-pup sunglasses, as primarily used for sports, say in baseball.

While there have, in the past, been provided flip-up sunglasses, as wherein a sunshield is pivoted to a frame, these prior devices have been relatively complex in construction, readily subject to breakage and malfunctioning, and relatively expensive to manufacture.

Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention to provide a fii-p-up sunglass construction which overcomes the above-mentioned difliculties, is extremely simple in structure, requiring a minimum of parts, for durability and reliability throughout a long useful lite.

It is a further object of the present invention to pr?- vide a flip-up sunglass construction having the advantageous characteristics mentioned in the preceding paragraph, wherein the frame front may be a single integral part, and the lens shield may be a single integral part, which parts may be quickly and easily connected without separate fastening means to provide a neat and attractive assembly.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following specification and referring to the accompanying drawings, which form a material part of this disclosure.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described, and of which the scope will ,be indicated by the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective view showing a flip-up sunglass construction in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a partial sectional view taken generally along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1, but showing the elements in their assembled condition;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view similar to FIGURE 2, but illustrating the lens shield in another position of its swinging movement; and

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view similar to FIGURES 2 and 3, but illustrating the lens shield in still another position. I

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and specifically to FIGURE 1 thereof, the flip-up sunglasses there illustrated include a frame, generally designated. 10, and a sunshield or lens sheet 11.

The frame may comprise an elongate frontpiece 12 which is adapted to extend laterally across a wearers face along the brow. The frontpiece 12 may includea medial portion 13 bent in a generally horizontal plane to present an arcuate, forwardly concave configuration. Extending in opposite directions from the medial region 13, the frontpiece 12 is arcuately curved, as at 14, in a generally horizontal plane to extend rearwardly and terminate in respective hinge elements 15. A pair of sidepieces ortemples 16 are each connected to a respective hinge element 15, as by pivot pins 17; and, a retaining strap 18, as of elastic strip material, may be connected between the distal ends of the temples 16.

Depending from the medial region 13 of frontpiece 12 is a nosepiece 20 for conformably resting engagement on the bridge of a wearers nose. On opposite sides of the H 3,383,707 Patented May 21, 1968 nosepiece 20, projecting forwardly from the frontpiece 12 are a pair of laterally spaced gripping means 21.

The gripping means 21 each include a pair of vertically spaced lower and upper fingers 22 and 23, projecting forwardly from the frontpiece 12 and in substantial lateral alignment with each other. Each lower finger 22 projects forwardly from the adjacent lower portion of front-piece 12, being flush with the lower edge thereof, and has its forward or distal end arcuately curved upward, as at 24. The inner or upper surface of each lower finger 22 is recessed, as at 25, the recess being of arcuate, partially cylindrical formation, laterally coextensive with the respective finger and opening through opposite sides t-here of. The recesses 25 of the pair of lower fingers 22 may be in substantial alignment with each other, each facing upwardly toward the adjacent upper finger 23.

Each upper finger 23 extends forwardly from the adjacent upper portion of frontpiece 12, having its upper surface flush with the upper edge of the front-piece, and has its forward or distal end arcuate or curved downwardly, as at 26. The underside of each upper finger 23 is for-med with a generally flat, forwardly and upwardly obliquely extending surface 27. The oblique surface 27 faces forwardly and downwardly, generally toward the adjacent lower-finger recess 25. At its forward, upper end, the undersu'rface 27 merges with an arcuate, downwardly concave surface 28, which terminate at the forward or distal end 29 of the upper finger. Thus, the underside of each upper finger 23, as defined by the surfaces 27 and 28, may be considered as a downwardly facing notch, opening laterally through opposite sides of the respective upper finger. Further, the pair of upper fingers 23 on opposite sides of the medial frontpiece portion 13 are in lateral alignment with each other along the front-piece.

The frontpiece 12 and the grippers or snap means 21, as well as the nosepiece 20, may all be integrally molded, say of suitable plastic material. One such material is polycarbonate resin. The plastic material of the integrally molded frontpiece 12, nosepiece 20 and gripper means 21 is proportioned to afford the desired rigidity to the frontand nosepieces, while affording a proper degree of flexibility to the fingers 22 and 23.

The lens sheet or sunshield 11 may be of a generally fiat, laterally elongate configuration, slightly arcuate or bowed about a transverse centerline, and provided along its lower edge with a pair of depending lobes 31 combining to define in thes pace therebetween a nose cutout or notch 32. Along the upper margin of the lens sheet 11, there may be a thickened marginal portion 33 or bead, of generally rectangular cross section. The thickened upper marginal portion 33 is substantially fiat and follows the arcuate contour of the lens sheet 11.

Extending inwardly or downwardly through the upper edge of lens sheet 11, through the thickened margin 33 and into the transparent region of the lens sheet are a pair of spaced cutouts 34. The cutouts 34 are spaced apart from each other a distance approximately equal to the spacing between gripper means 21, for purposes presently becoming apparent.

Extending across each of the cutouts 34 is a gudgeon or pintle 35 of generally cylindrical configuration. The pintles 35 are in substantially axial alignment with each other, so as to be nonplanar with the slightly arcuate lens sheet 11, and each is spaced from the lower or inner edge 36 of the receiving cutout 34, so as to combine therewith to define a thru opening 37. Further, the pintles 35 are each spaced from the upper edge 38 of the lens-sheet margin 33, so as to combine therewith to define an upwardly opening notch 39.

More particularly, the pintles 35 are each of generally cylindrical configuration having a pair of generally flat figuration and in approximately 90-degree angularrelation with respect to each other. The tangential flats or surfaces 40 intersect in a rounded projection or nose 41 extending radially of the respective pintle. The radial projection 41 extends generally upward toward and terminates short of the upper edge 38 of the lens sheet 11, each serving to define the lower or inner edge of respective notch 39.

Assembly of the lens sheet 11 with the frame 10 is readily accomplished by insertion of the pintles 35 between the fingers of respective gripping means 21. This may be accomplished with the pintle projections 41 leading, as illustrated in FIGURE 2, and the pintles inserted between the fingers of respective gripping means, resiliently deflecting the latter for snap-engagement of the pintle therebetween. This condition is shown in FIGURE 2 and is one operative position with the lens sheet extending forwardly.

The lens sheet 11 may be swung downwardly, in front of the wearers eyes to the position shown in FIGURE 3. In this case, the pintle rotates in the surfaces 25 of the lower fingers 22, and the projection 41 of each pintle 35 snaps over the adjacent oblique underfinger surface 27 into the respective notch or recess 28. This condition is shown in FIGURE 3.

A further condition is shown in FIGURE 4, with the lens sheet 11 swung upwardly. The cylindrical surface of each pintle 35 is in engagement with its adjacent upper finger 23, while the pintle projections 41 engage the adjacent lower fingers 22, the pintles being frictionally held against inadvertent rotation. Of course, the lens shield 11 may be removed, if desired, as by withdrawal in the condition of FIGURE 2, say for replacement or repair.

It will now be appreciated that the lower fingers 22 engage through respective openings 37 beneath adjacent pintles 35, while the upper fingers 23 engage in notches 39, the upper edge 38 of lens sheet 11 being substantially fiush with the upper surface of upper fingers 23 when the lens sheet is in its down position. Further, the lens sheet 11, including the thickened margin 33 and pintles 35 may all advantageously integrally fabricated of plastic material, say by molding of polycarbonate resin.

From the foregoing, it is seen that the present invention provides a fiip-up sunglass construction which fully accomplishes its intended objects and is well adapted to meet practical conditions of manufacture and use.

Although the present invention has been described in some detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of clarity of understanding, it is understood that certain changes and modifications may be made within the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A flip-up sunglass construction comprising a frontpiece for lateral extension along the brow of a user, a

. nosepiece depending medially from said frontpiece, a pair of vertically spaced gripping fingers on each side of said nosepiece and extending forwardly from said frontpiece, at least one of said fingers being formed with a recess facing toward the other of said fingers, said frontand nosepieces and said fingers being integrally formed of plastic material, a lens sheet in front of said frontand nosepieces, a pintle on said lens sheet snap-engaged between said fingers, detent means on said pintle rotatably engageable in said recess, said pintle and lens sheet being integrally fabricated of plastic material, whereby said lens sheet is mounted by said pintle and fingers for swinging movement relative to said frontpiece.

2. A flip-up sunglass construction according to claim 1, said detent means being movable into position between said fingers to releasably retain said lens sheet in another position of its swinging movement.

3. A flip-up sunglass construction according to claim 1, said lens sheet having its upper edge extending along said frontpiece and being formed with a thru opening adjacent to and spaced from said upper edge, the lower of said fingers being engaged through said opening.

4. A flip-up sunglass construction according to claim 1, said lens sheet having its upper edge extending along said frontpiece and being formed with a cutout extending downwardly from the upper edge of said lens sheet, said pintle extending across said cutout spaced from the lower edge thereof to define an opening for reception therethrough of the lower of said fingers.

5. A flip-up sunglass construction according to claim 4, said pintle being spaced below the upper edge of said lens sheet to define an upwardly opening notch conformably receiving the upper of said fingers.

6. A flip-up sunglass construction according to claim 1, said pintle being of generally cylindrical configuration and having a radial projection on one side, said fingers being resiliently defiectable for snap insertion therebetween and removal therefrom of said pintle in one angular disposition of the pintle, while effecting positive retention in other angular dispositions of the pintle.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,181,291 5/1916 Clarke 2-l2X 1,962,818 6/1934 Hoffman 2-12 2,998,610 9/1961 Spero 212 X FOREIGN PATENTS 461,279 11/1949 Canada. 984,098 2/ 1951 France.

HERBERT F. ROSS, Primary Examiner. 

1. A FLIP-UP SUNGLASS CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING A FRONTPIECE FOR LATERAL EXTENSION ALONG THE BROW OF A USER,A NOSEPIECE DEPENDING MEDIALLY FROM SAID FRONTPIECE, A PAIR OF VERTICALLY SPACED GRIPPING FINGERS ON EACH SIDE OF SAID NOSEPIECE AND EXTENDING FORWARDLY FROM SAID FRONTPIECE AT LEAST ONE OF SAID FINGERS BEING FROMED WITH A RECESS FACING TOWARD THE OTHER OF SAID FINGERS, SAID FRONT- AND NOSEPIECES AND SAID FINGERS BEING INTEGRALLY FORMED OF PLASTIC MATERIAL, A LENS SHEET IN FORNT OF SAID FRONT- AND NOSEPIECES, A PINTLE ON SAID LENS SHEET SNAP-ENGAGED BETWEEN SAID FINGERS, DETENT MEANS ON SAID PINTLE ROTATABLY ENGAGEABLE IN SAID RECESS, SAID PINTLE AND LENS SHEET BEING INTEGRALLY FABRICATED OF PLASTIC MATERIAL, WHEREBY SAID LENS SHEET IS MOUNTED BY SAID PINTLE AND FINGERS FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID FRONTPIECE. 